Football team preparing for undefeated Ready

When Hartley High School football coach Brad Burchfield watches video of Ready, he sees an opponent with similar play calling compared to a year ago.

JARROD ULREY, ThisWeek Community News

When Hartley High School football coach Brad Burchfield watches video of Ready, he sees an opponent with similar play calling compared to a year ago.

He believes the difference this fall for the Silver Knights, who take a 9-0 record into their matchup with the Hawks on Friday, Nov. 1, at Hilliard Bradley, is that they run their system significantly better.

Hartley, which is 8-1, has beaten Ready each of the last three seasons for the CCL-Gold Division title, including 42-8 last year.

"They're really impressive with their offensive and defensive lines," Burchfield said. "Their tailback (senior Akili Taylor) is a one-man gang. They're riding high because they're just destroying people and we've had to fight really hard."

Taylor has rushed for 1,546 yards and is among the area leaders in touchdowns with 23. He rushed for 94 yards and four touchdowns in a 63-8 win at Muskegon Heights (Mich.) on Oct. 26. Ready led 63-0 at halftime.

The girls volleyball team is back in the Division II regional tournament.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, at Zanesville, the Hawks play Jonathan Alder in a regional semifinal. The winner plays Carrollton or Dover in a regional final at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at Zanesville.

The regional champion plays in a state semifinal Nov. 8 at Wright State. The state final is Nov. 9 at the same site.

Top-seeded Hartley beat seventh-seeded Heath 25-22, 25-19, 25-18 in a district final Oct. 26 at Worthington Christian Middle School to improve to 19-6.

"Having only two kids back from the 2011 team (that was the Division II state runner-up), this is a completely different team, but we got it going," coach Mike Rahe said. "I thought we did a good job of moving the ball around. Our hitting and blocking from Erin Chatman, Shelby Chesko and (Madeline) Brandewie pulled us through."

Hartley, which beat 10th-seeded Centennial 25-8, 25-3, 25-17 in a district semifinal Oct. 24, had won seven consecutive district titles before losing in a district final last season.

"I think (losing in a district final last season) motived us a lot," junior setter Emily Rahe said.

Franz to make thirdrun in state meet

Junior Emily Franz will make her third appearance in the Division II state girls cross country meet Saturday, Nov. 2, at National Trail Raceway.

On Oct. 26 in the regional at Troy, Franz ran 19 minutes, 26.52 seconds to place 13th.

"I'm glad I made it to state," she said. "(National Trail Raceway) is not my favorite, but I know it's a pretty fast course. I like courses that are more interesting, and there are more fields than woods there. I'd like to make all-state and if I did that I'd probably be able to run my best time."

Franz, whose personal best is 18:50.72, finished 30th (19:35.07) at state as a freshman and 28th (19:17.65) last season.

She was in the top 10 for most of the regional race and held on during cold and windy conditions. The top 16 runners advanced to state.

"I definitely tried to stay with the top pack," Franz said. "The first two miles are extremely fast and there are a couple deep hills in the third mile. I passed a few people, but it wasn't my best race."

Girls soccer teamfalls in district semi

The 11th-seeded girls soccer team lost at fourth-seeded Bexley 3-1 in a Division II district semifinal Oct. 23 to finish 2-8-7.

Sophomore midfielder/ defender Maggie Smith scored with 3 minutes remaining to cut it to 2-1, but Bexley put the game away with a goal with 2:06 left.

"When you give other teams (an open) goal inside, it's not going to be a good result," coach Scott Dempsey said. "We had more than our fair share of chances."

With about 17 minutes remaining and Hartley trailing 1-0, junior midfielder McKenna Welsh created an opportunity and kicked one that went just over the net.

The Lions then made it 2-0 with 12:25 to play.

Boys soccer teamloses to Watterson

After being locked in a scoreless tie with host Watterson for the game's first 54 minutes, the boys soccer team allowed two goals and came up short of rallying in a 2-1 loss to the top-seeded Eagles in a Division II district semifinal Oct. 22.

The Hawks' only goal came on a penalty kick by freshman forward Mitchell Bergman.

Hartley, which was the ninth seed, finished 7-9-2.

"This was a great matchup all the way through," said coach Chris Kowalski, whose team also lost to Watterson 3-0 on Sept. 5.

Most of field hockeyteam expects to return

Despite having just two seniors, the field hockey team improved by two wins from last season.

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